I Can't Stant Up From Falling Down
by MissTinfoilHat
Summary: Iruka teaches middle school while trying to parent a slightly dense thirteen-year-old. One day while at work, the future (oh how obnoxiously gorgeous) teacher of his pupil's class comes to visit. Then, there's a cat. Then, there's a fall. Then, Iruka has to make a choice.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't know. I just wanted to write some KakaRuka (is that the ship-name?) fluff.**

**IruKashi. KakUka (that's funny in Norwegian 'cause of dick-jokes).**

* * *

It had all happened so fast. In one moment, the fascinatingly handsome teacher had been sighing heavily as the children pestered him to climb onto the roof of the schoolhouse to catch the poor, _ clearly terribly disoriented _cat that had somehow gotten stuck up there.

Then, in the next moment, after a climb worthy of a seasoned rock-climber, he was stretching out on top of the three-story building, easing in on the obviously terrified creature, ready to catch it. There was an unmistakably bothered furrow knitted between his equally silvery eyebrows, _ so over _ this whole situation, that could be seen all the way from the ground.

...it really looked like he was going to make it.

Honestly, that was the only reason why Iruka hadn't done more to stop him.

The cat had startled as the silver-haired man misstepped on the roof tiles, making one of the clays break loose and fall off the building, pulverizing into a cloud of cinnamon-colored dust on the asphalt beneath them with a loud clatter.

At this point, the man, Kakashi was his name Iruka remembered _ (he was hard to forget) _, was crouched down, ready to grab ahold of the red-haired kitty.

Just then, the cat jumped, hissing loudly and plunging onto its rescuer's face for just a moment, before using the _ (obnoxiously beautiful) _face as leverage, pushing off, jolting forward and landed effortlessly at the branch of the large three, hanging about seven feet away from the roof.

Some of the children cheered, some laughed and pointed chubby fingers snootily. Iruka himself felt slightly stupid for not really considering that if it had made it up there in the first place, it probably also had a path down.

Another brick fell from the roof, gaining Iruka's attention. Kakashi was rubbing his face _ (that cat had probably gotten him pretty good) _and was now trying to solidify his stance on the unstable surface he was on more securely, while being temporarily blinded by the kitty's claws.

That was when it all had turned to absolute shit.

Really, Iruka should have anticipated this. He was usually so cautious, taking way too many precautions all the time, up to a point where he had been called into the principal's office to address his "anxiety-issue".

Seriously though- he simply preferred to be on the safer side. He couldn't help it that, maybe, he put a bit too much thought into how each and everything around him could go to hell.

...he kinda wished he had done that today. That his urge to see the athletic figure of the high school teacher move like that hadn't overcome his fixation on safety.

_ He used to be an eagle scout goddammit. _

Well, it went just about as well as one might think being nearly 45 feet up in the air while being attacked by an adventure-seeking (and reasonably nervous) feline would.

A faint yelp was heard, then, a muffled _ thud. _

_ Oh, fu… heck. _

* * *

"Good morning," an unfamiliar voice stated behind Iruka as he stood by his teachers-desk with a steaming cup of green tea while looking through today's syllabus one last time before the day started.

He turned around swiftly, confused-looking and unprepared for anyone approaching him this early in the morning.

The first thing Iruka noticed about the stranger standing in the doorway was that he was wearing a surgical mask. That wasn't really that unusual, but it was neither flue nor allergy season, which did make it a little bit strange.

Then, it was his gravity-defying hair. The man didn't look old, probably around the same age as himself, give or take a year or two, but it had a clear silvery grey color. It didn't look as if his mane was greying prematurely, more as if it was simply supposed to be that way.

He had a large scar, running from his hairline, over his left eye and down into the surgical mask. It was larger than the one Iruka bore across his nose, more angry-looking. His own visible scar had faded with time. It was still very noticeable, a trademark really. But this man's scar seemed… more profound, maybe?

It was probably because his eye seemed to be permanently shut by it, possibly indicating blindness or a complete lack of a left eye, adding to his mysterious dark gaze. His milky skin was way paler than Iruka's own tan, which would naturally make the pinkness of his scar stand out more.

All in all, Iruka decided he was drop-dead gorgeous and why the hell had he never noticed this man before and what was he doing here now?

"Are you okay?" the man asked, looking back down the hallway uncertainly, before settling back at him. "I might have the wrong room, but… the e-mail said 104, that's here, right?"

Recognition dawned upon Iruka.

"Oh! Yes, yes, that's here. You must be…" _ Shit, he couldn't remember his name. _

"Kakashi Hatake," the man filled in with a monotone voice. His one visible eye was half-lidded and looked almost lethargic. If Iruka had been more of an assuming asshole, he would think that he was already bored. But, he wasn't an assuming asshole.

_ Well, tried not to be. _

"Yes, of course. From Konoha High School. I'm Iruka Umino." He had only read the e-mail about the visit from his sixth-graders next year's high school teacher the night before, minutes before he went to bed. He had completely forgotten about it until now.

Iruka walked over to meet the fellow teacher with a handshake. As their hands touched, he remarked how callused Kakashi's firm grip felt. Not like a regular school teacher's palm usually would be; soft and unmarred, the only hint of strain being a slightly swollen writing-bump along the third knuckle of their middle finger.

It did make sense, though. The man's physique seemed impeccable. Even in his modest dressing with a black, slightly oversized sweater and black dress-pants, he radiated health _ (hot body) _ and an active lifestyle, even if his sluggish gaze told him something very different _ (which he wouldn't dwell upon as the unassuming not-asshole he was). _

The bell chimed loudly, startling Iruka out of his admittedly _ hungry _musings, calling the kids into their first class of the day.

"I don't really wanna make too much of fuzz over this," Kakashi confessed sheepishly, scratching at his neck. "So, if I could just sit by and watch this first class, I'd appreciate it immensely."

Kids began to storm into the classroom and filling the empty desks one by one while shooting curious glances towards the new presence in their homeroom, switching between talking loudly and whispering amongst themselves.

"Don't you want to at least present yourself?" Iruka remarked, wondering how his students would react to an unfamiliar man simply just _ being _there, without so much as an introduction.

Kakashi's shoulder's slumped exasperatedly, a heavy sigh escaping his lips behind his mask while uttering a tired "Maaa," as he submitted to Iruka's point.

Slightly annoyed, Iruka decided that _ maybe _he had been right about his initial assumptions about the attractive teacher's demeanor.

The class finally settled in, and Iruka demanded their attention with a loud clap.

"Good morning everyone," he declared chipperly, instantly receiving twenty-five sleepy 'good morning teachers' in return.

"Today, we have a visitor, as you may have noticed," he turned towards Kakashi, who was standing passively with both hands tucked deep down into the pockets of his dark slacks. "Why don't you tell the class a little about who you are?"

Kakashi shot him a tired glance, yet again scratching his neck _ (Iruka wondered if it might be a nervous tick), _before exhaling joylessly.

"I'm Kakashi Hatake. I'll be your teacher next semester when you graduate and start high school," he stated dimly.

When Iruka didn't take over, and the children kept watching him expectantly, he added, "I'll just stay here today to observe you. You really don't have to pay me any mind."

Iruka was unimpressed by Kakashi's lack of charisma. Though, it wasn't so much a lack of charisma, as it was an unwillingness to exude it.

A single brave hand raised into the air. Iruka had expected as much.

Kakashi nodded reluctantly towards the spiky-haired blonde, giving him permission to speak _ (not that this particular kid ever needed it). _

"What's wrong with your eye?"

Iruka pinched the bridge of his nose, embarrassed on his foster kid's behalf _ (he really needed to talk to him again about personal boundaries). _He cast a timid glance towards the abrasive teacher, dreading his reaction.

"Which one?" Kakashi answered densely, while really selling his mock confusion.

Naruto made motions with both of his hands, acting as if he was writing before settling on his answer, "Left one."

Kakashi only stared at him for a long moment, before answering his question. "Can't find it."

Immediately, Naruto opened his mouth to object, but Kakashi ignored him, pointing to another student, suddenly seeming very invested in answering another question.

"How old are you?" a blonde girl, Ino, asked, blushing visibly and receiving giggles and small nudges of elbows from her neighboring peers.

Kakashi only blinked for a moment, before turning towards Iruka.

"I'm done," he declared decisively, and stifled away, settling on an elongated desk pushed towards the back wall of the room.

Honestly, Iruka didn't blame him after the awkward nature of the questions from his students. He felt a little embarrassed that none of them had asked him anything about next year's curriculum or what to expect as they transitioned from middle school to high school.

So, he thanked Kakashi for his input and continued his class as usual.

* * *

Once again, the bell rang. This time to symbolize a five-minute break between one class to another. Most of his students got up to head towards their lockers to fetch their textbooks for the next class.

Iruka peered across the room, eyes settling on Kakashi who seemed deeply submerged in a binder he had retrieved from his satchel early into the previous class, and didn't even seem to notice that the period was over.

Slowly, he started to make his way over to him. After all, even if his class could sometimes seem kinda… _ thick-skulled _, he was enthusiastic to hear what the other teacher had to say.

He approached the dark-clad man, standing a few feet from him for a couple of seconds, waiting for him to notice him.

_ 'He must really be deep in thought not to notice that he was standing there' _, Iruka thought and came closer. Still, he got no reaction from the other man. Curious, he stretched his neck out to peer down at what had made the other man so immersed that he didn't notice the world around him.

It had to be his notes about the students, or, if he was as uninterested as he previously had expressed, some high school education program, or…

"Are you reading _ porn?" _he barked out, making the silver-haired man jump, shutting the folder and looking up, straight into Iruka's incredulous gaze.

_ Iruka tried his best not to melt away into the steely, dark eyes. _

Again, Kakashi's arm bent, merging into rainy cloud-colored hair, rubbing at his nape. His eyes, even his left one, crinkled, hinting that he was smiling timidly behind the mask.

"Maa, Iruka-san, of course not. This is a literary masterpiece," he explained sheepishly and pulled the orange book out of the folder.

Iruka watched him, then the cover of the book, arms crossed over his chest and a scrutinizing curve to his eyebrows.

"Icha-Icha paradise?" Iruka questioned incredulity.

"Sure," Kakashi shrugged.

Before Iruka could press the matter any further, one of his students came running into the classroom, alarm written all over his plump, flushed face.

"Iruka-sensei!" he gasped, panting loudly.

Immediately, Iruka forgot all about Kakashi and _ (his handsome face) _possible pornographic material and walked automatically several steps closer to the boy.

"What is it, Choji-kun?" he asked urgently.

"You need to come," he said, shifting his attention to Kakashi, pointing at him. "You too!"

Before any of the teachers could respond, Choji disappeared out of the room, leaving them with no choice but to follow along if they wanted to know what was wrong.

* * *

_ So, that was what had left Iruka in this strange situation. A cat apparently stuck on the roof, a janitor on vacation and his own unwillingness to call the fire department for such a seemingly insignificant cause. _

He was currently held up in the ER's waiting room, waiting for any word about a man he had hardly traded more than a few sentences about porn with.

There were no next of kind apparently, and the emergency contact that was listed in Kakashi's files was supposedly impossible to get in touch with. Iruka had tried to suggest that they could contact the school he was employed at, but by the time they had gotten around to do that, school was done for the day anyway.

Iruka felt stupid for being there if he was being honest. If Kakashi had hit his head _ (which of course he had, falling off a freaking three-story building) _ , he probably wouldn't even remember him if he woke up while he was there. It had just… seemed _ cruel _to let the ambulance take him away all on his own.

_ He had looked so broken, lying in a bloodied heap on the ground with limbs bent in all different directions, a puddle of crimson forming around him- Iruka had to yell at the kids with his angry-voice to keep them back and prevent them from seeing him. _

At least Naruto was there to keep him company. The kid might have many flaws; he was loud, impossibly unpredictable and sometimes down-right obnoxious, but he was fun to hang around. Also, he was _ his, _and had been for several years now.

The paperwork might not be in order yet, but it was going to be someday. Even if Iruka was still fairly young and without a partner, he had had Naruto since infanthood. That had to count for _ something. _

"Maaa, what's taking so long?" Naruto complained, nearly sliding off his chair and trashing around restlessly.

"You can go home if you want," Iruka told him calmly. "I can call Genma or Raidou to pick you up-"

"No," Naruto groaned, finally gliding all the way down to the floor and established himself, lying on his back on the dirty linoleum, watching Iruka from beneath.

"Kay," Iruka shrugged and settled back on the uncomfortable plastic chair.

"You have a double-chin from this angle," Naruto muttered mindlessly. Before Iruka could defend himself _ (he had been busy with work and _ ** _his _ ** _ after-school activities an also _ ** _he _ ** _ was the one who would only eat ramen every single day of the week), _a doctor entered the room and called out his name.

Iruka's eyes widened, and Naruto sat up.

"Yeah, I'm here. How is he?" Iruka asked tensely and stepped over Naruto to meet the doctor. Naruto also got up, following his dad to the elderly man.

"He's stable, but in critical condition," the doctor explained. "There's major damage to his hips and legs. There's also damage to his spine, but after the surgery and some physical therapy, that will hopefully heal."

For some reason, his words seemed meaningless to Iruka. Maybe it was because he didn't really know Kakashi, but it still kinda frightened him. He considered himself as an above-average empath, but this felt as if he heard about the injuries on the news without any sort of personal relationship to the person who had sustained them.

Really, that was how it was, wasn't it?

Kakashi wouldn't benefit from him hearing this. He wouldn't benefit from Iruka knowing about the extent of his injuries or how they were planning on treating them. Likely, they wouldn't even meet after this.

_ Well, actually they probably would as long as he would finally be able to adopt Naruto; this would be his teacher, after all. _

_ ...assuming he would ever be able to return to work. _

Iruka almost felt selfish as relief flushed over him. It was a strange sensation. He felt better because he finally felt _ really _ bad that a man that was supposed to follow his son through school for the next three years was seriously injured to a point where he might not be able to do that after all.

_ Oh God, he should probably get therapy because this feeling seemed weird as fu… heck! _

Iruka suddenly became aware that the doctor was talking again.

"...fortunate that he's alive at all. If he'd landed on his head, he would never have survived."

_ Oh… oh, wow. The reality of the situation suddenly seemed all that much more real, and he realized that he might not have understood the severity of this fall until now- again, he felt slightly relieved to get an assurance that his empathy was intact and that the lack of compassion had really just been a lack of understanding. _

"Really, he's lucky he survived long enough for the ambulance to arrive. All though, lucky could quite possibly be a gross overstatement. He'll have a tough and painful road ahead of him. I hope you've braced yourself."

Iruka realized that the doctor spoke as if he actually _ knew _Kakashi, and he realized that they probably didn't know. Didn't know he wasn't his next of kind, nor his emergency contact.

Also, a startling realization hit him. Kakashi didn't actually have _ anyone, did he? _

The man they couldn't get a hold of was supposedly an uncle, but that seemed to be about it. Could it be that Kakashi _ actually _didn't have a single person that could help him heal?

Iruka realized that he knew practically _ nothing _ about this man except that he was a high school teacher, did _ some _kind of handy work, was a good climber and had a love for erotic novels that mostly bored housewives shared with him.

Still, he felt a responsibility.

He decided then and there.

No matter how long it would take to pick a hole in that impossibly thick shield Kakashi Hatake had put up between himself and the rest of the world, Iruka was going to be the one to breach through.

* * *

**This was so much fun to write. I'm normally not big on ships- I don't dislike it or anything, I just don't really focus on it when writing. But lately, I've been really into Kakashi and Iruka stories, and I've been wanting to try to write one and this is what I ended up with.**

**There will be more chapters!**

**And also, congratulation to me for producing yet another multiple chapter fic when I have so many others that I'm not even close to finishing! I'll try to update at least once a month, as that is the rhythm I've seen to settle into with most of my other fics.**


	2. Chapter 2

The next few hours went by painstakingly slowly. Kakashi was still in the ICU. While Iruka had been allowed to stay in the room and wait until he woke up, he couldn't quite justify sitting right there by the bed and being the first thing the poor guy would see when he woke up.

_ Also, he didn't want Naruto to catch him ogling over that handsome face. _

Even more annoyingly, the lower half was still obscured by an oxygen mask. If it hadn't been for the fact that it helped Kakashi _ breathe, _ Iruka would totally utilize this moment of unconsciousness to peer behind the mask. The fact that anyone could be _ this _ enchanting, barely showing more than the top half of their face, seemed almost ridiculous.

_ Or maybe it added to it, Iruka wasn't sure. _

Naruto's stomach groaned loudly from his seat by the window. The last time Iruka had looked over to the teen, he had been asleep _ (he only hoped he hadn't noticed the thin smile he'd had on his lips as he peered over to the mummified body on the cot across the room). _ _  
_ _  
_ "Dad, I'm hungry," Naruto stated obviously, casting him a crooked smile while holding a flabby hand on his belly.

"You're always hungry," Iruka returned curtly.

"Of course! I'm a growing boy, dattebayo!"

Iruka sighed, shifting in his seat to grab the wallet in his back pocket, from where he pulled out a few bills and handed it over to the blonde.

"Get me a cup of coffee from the cafeteria too, would you?"

"Dattebayo!" the kid repeated and darted off, leaving Iruka by himself in the hospital room, free to ogle Kakashi all he wanted.

* * *

Kakashi didn't wake up that day. The doctors had informed Iruka that there was no way to know for sure, but that they expected him to wake up within the next twenty-four hours. Eventually, they had to go home for the night. It was a school day tomorrow after all.

The next day, the dramatic events from the day before were all the kids seemed to talk about.

_ "I heard his head exploded on impact!" _

_ "I heard that parts of his brain were left on the ground after the ambulance drove off!" _

_ "Yeah, I saw it! It was totally gnarly!" _

_ "I heard the cat attacked him and made him fall. Is that something we should report to the police?" _

Iruka was severely concerned about how this bunch would preform on the upcoming exams.

The day proceeded, mostly as usual. The principal obviously wanted a few words with him about what had happened and wanted to arrange a meeting between them and Konoha High School's headmaster. Also, they would have to make a schedule for the kids that had witnessed the accident to meet with the school consular. There had been a storm of phone calls from distressed parents that had heard about what had happened from their kids and demanded to know what was going on, so they would have to arrange a meetup with them as well.

And on top of that, the hospital called when it was still an hour left of the day and told them that Kakashi seemed to be waking up.

His eyes were fluttering open from time to time, and he had tried to remove the oxygen mask _ (Iruka's heart made a leap upon hearing that). _He would likely be out of his haze soon, if he wanted to be there when he woke up.

Iruka thanked them and returned to class. He didn't really want to explain how he had somehow ended up as Kakashi's stand-in emergency contact, but he wouldn't be able to focus if he was to stay, so instead, he told them that, in the aftermath of yesterday's events, he allowed them to leave early to be with their families.

Naruto scowled at his foster dad skeptically. Even as his fellow students didn't hesitate to storm out, cheering and talking amongst themselves, he lingered behind, for _ once _kinda doing what he was told and stayed with his family.

"Who was on the phone?" he asked instead. He had seen Iruka talking in it before they entered the classroom for their last period of the day.

"Oh, uh," Iruka hesitated for a moment. He hadn't really told Naruto about his decision to follow Kakashi's recovery further, as long as nobody else volunteered and seemed more equipped for the task, of course.

"It was from the hospital," he said, waiting to access his reaction. Naruto blinked a couple of times but didn't seem too surprised.

"About Kakashi-sensei?" he asked, just to make sure. Iruka felt slightly proud that his kid had already started to address Kakashi as his teacher. It seemed… respectful, which, in all honesty, wasn't one of his son's strong traits _ (he swore Naruto did have them, they… just needed some more time to figure out exactly which). _

"Yeah, he… He's waking up," Iruka said, again, waiting for a reaction. He did recognize that this whole situation was a bit strange, and he really wouldn't blame him if Naruto didn't want anything to do with it, and even worse, opposed it _ (or questioned his intentions cause he honestly had no idea)_.

He was already his teacher's child, and now, said teacher,_ and dad _, was about to invite his future teacher into their lives too. Maybe he was being selfish…

"So, are we going back to the hospital now?" Naruto asked, seemingly not bothered at all. In fact, his knee was shaking and he seemed restless. Did he actually want to go?

"You don't have to come with me if you rather wanna hang out with your friends or just go home."

Naruto shrugged, grabbing his backpack and got up from his desk. "Na, I'll come with. The hospital cafeteria had _ amazing _ramen."

Iruka couldn't help but smile. He couldn't be sure if Naruto was serious or not- anyone else and he would think that it was an excuse to seem like they didn't care, but Naruto really did love his ramen.

"Well, let's get going then."

* * *

They entered the hospital room together with the doctor Iruka had been talking to the day before. He gave them a short update on what had been done and how Kakashi had been responding to his treatment. It was mostly positive, but his heart rate had dropped a few times and they were paying close attention to it.

Iruka thanked him before he exited the room. Naruto was already on his way down to the cafeteria, so Iruka was free to stare at the beautiful face as uncensored as he wanted. They had removed the oxygen mask now and replaced it with a nasal cannula.

The only reason he recognized that though, was because the wires were peeking out of his disposable surgical mask. _ Why would they replace the surgical mask? _

Really, if he wanted to look at Kakashi's face, the time would be _ now. _

But, the fact that the hospital had actually replaced the bloodied mask he had been wearing when brought it, made him decide that he wouldn't take advantage of this situation. From the few words Kakashi and he had exchanged, he had the impression that Kakashi was a rational guy. From the clothes he had chosen to wear, Iruka assumed him to be practical and modest. It had to be a good reason he wore that mask before, and that only solidified when it had been replaced now.

Iruka couldn't imagine what it could be, though.

* * *

The world seemed unfamiliar and far away.

His body aced furiously, one of the most severe pains he could remember feeling in his entire life. His eyelids were heavy, and he couldn't really control them as good as he had gotten used to through years of having to permanently close his left one.

Remembrance came slowly. First of what had happened, and then of why he truly hated cats _ (now with a vengeance). _

So, he gathered that he was in the hospital. The steady beeping from a heart monitor close by and the unmistakable presence of something intruding through his nostrils, pushing air into his lungs made that much clear.

However, something, or rather _ someone, _became apparent in his peripheral. He wasn't able to turn his head enough to figure out who the presence belonged to, though.

_ Fuck! _ Everything hurt _ so much _ . His whole body felt like a huge bubble of _ pain _and he couldn't move as much as a single digit. He should probably alert this unfamiliar presence to his lucidness though. Let him know he was awake.

"Uhhh," was all he could get out. It was _ supposed _ to mean _ 'who's there', _but his lips didn't want to cooperate at the time. It did startle whoever was there though. The contour of whoever it was shifted, but instead of revealing itself, it backed out of the proximity of his vision.

"Feeeh…" he uttered uselessly, meaning to tell this person to _ fuck off _ for being difficult to identify. He didn't like being watched by someone he didn't know.

The person said something, but it sounded as if it was underwater and Kakashi briefly wondered if he was talking to a mute, before realizing that he was probably the problem himself.

"Whaa?" he uttered. It was as close to an actual word he'd been able to pronounciate up to this point, and Kakashi felt weirdly proud of himself. Brown hair in a pony-tail appeared into his vision, and Kakashi couldn't think of _ anyone _he knew that had that. Maybe it was a nurse or something.

Then, a scarred nose registered in his consciousness, and it felt weirdly familiar. After a moment of racking his sluggish memory, he recollected the middle school teacher he had met that day. He had a scar like that- but why the hell would he be here?

Another moment went by in slight confusion, before the face became clear, proving that it was, in fact, the teacher from the middle school that was in the room with him.

"I's you," he slurred, finally remembering his name. "...'ruka, yeah?"

"Yes," Iruka stated positively. His lips slowly pursed into a smile.

"Wha'you doin' here?" Kakashi was still unable to pronounce his words precisely, and he felt embarrassed and ashamed by the sound of his own garblings.

Suddenly, the door slammed open and a blonde, prickly-haired kid entered the room.

"Daaad, I'm a hundred yen short on the large bowl of ramen…" the teen complained loudly before halting in his steps, realizing that Kakashi was waking up.

"I- I'll come back later…" he muttered and started closing the door, before pausing. "D'you have a coin though?"

Iruka got up, reaching into his pocket and giving his entire wallet to the kid before shoving the door shut in his face and returned to Kakashi.

"I- I'm not sure," he said earnestly. "I came with you in the ambulance yesterday, and it just kinda ended up like this."

_ That made sense, _Kakashi thought. Iruka appeared like that sort of person- the kind to take care of a baby bird falling from its nest and nursing it back to health before releasing it back into the wild. He probably thought of Kakashi in the exact same way.

_ Little did he know that Kakashi thought of himself as the predator that had chaced the bird away from its nest and into his care in the first place. _

_ Not to mention that so many people had taken Kakashi in as the little injured bird too, only to release him back into the wild to be attacked by yet another predator- feeling happy and Selfridges all the same. _

"They tried to call your uncle, but they couldn't reach him. There didn't seem to be anyone else to call- so I guess I decided to stay to make sure you were okay."

_ Kakashi only wished this man wasn't so heart-shatteringly adorable, cause that would make him so much easier to reject. _ His small stature _ (really wasn't that small- but he was shorter than Kakashi and Kakashi would denounce anyone who proclaimed that it was only because of his gravity-defying hair; he wasn't _ ** _short _ ** _ goddammit! _ ) and his tanned skin along with his attractive facial features, along with the scarred nose gave him so much personality. His kind, charcoal eyes testified of someone who was truly _ kind _. It nearly tempted him to allow himself to be cared for by this good samaritan.

But that would be a terrible idea. Everyone that cared about him, would hurt him or end up being _ hurt _. He couldn't risk this being yet another one of those instances, especially not when that dense kid from the day before was his kid. He was supposed to be his teacher next year after all.

He could also tell that this man was already invested in his recovery, so he had to break it to him gently- had to get rid of him before anyone else could...

"Than… ks," he said still- straining himself to pronounce the word properly. After all, he did deserve a proper thanks after Kakashi had caused him so much trouble.

"That's all right. That fall was pretty bad," Iruka continued with jittery hands, dancing around, cracking knuckles and intertwining in an obvious show of nervousness.

(Iruka kinda wanted to rest his hands on top of Kakashi's, but he held himself back).

"I just wanted to make sure that you were okay and that… that you had someone there for you."

_ And that was the magic words, _Kakashi thought.

The words that proved that once again, someone had decided that he needed their help and would stay there for _ 'as long as he needed them to' _without actually saying it out loud.

They would stay back, help him and end up being broken by the Hatake-curse, instead of _ breaking it _as he had always hoped the would when he was young and foolish.

_ Time and time again, life had proved to him that there was no such thing as a happy ending for a Hatake. He guessed that the only reason Jiraiya had been as lucky as he had (yet having his fair share of heart-ache as well) was that he had avoided the damned name by having a different father than his own father did- therefore avoiding the name and being able to live a normal (as normal as anyone in his family could) life. _

"I'm really sorry this happened to you, Kakashi-san. I know you simply wanted a low-key day to observe your future students… I shouldn't have let my student's shame you into climbing to the roof. I should have just called the fire department, or… ignored them, really."

Kakashi realized that Iruka was resting his head in his hands- _ Well, _ not really _ resting _ as much as _ clutching it. _

"...we've seen that cat on the school ground for months- it's a freaking drama-queen. Its owners loves it as if it was their legitimate child. It's just a spoiled, bratty cat, and it probably only wanted some attention. I _ hate _that cat," Iruka muttered anguishedly.

Even in his painful state, because of said cat, Kakashi couldn't help but be immensely amused by the teacher's scattered ramblings. He also really appreciated someone else sharing he's feelings about the fat fuck- uh, **blob **of a feline.

"I hate cats," Kakashi muttered without actually meaning to- he was surprised by how clear his voice suddenly sounded.

The laugh that hummed through Iruka was truly pleasant. It felt _ real _and not downgrading and pitiful, as he admittedly had expected from a guy that felt guilty for landing him with both legs in external fixing-devices in a hospital bed, after trying to rescue a cat that really didn't actually need saving as much as a diet plan.

"I like cats, but I kinda want to drown this particular one," Iruka murmured, scratching above his scarred nose.

Kakashi kinda wanted to ask what had given it to him, but knew how much he hated being asked the same question himself, so he kept himself from it.

A strange sensation washed over him. Usually, he would push people away- he knew he did. No matter if he cared for them or not, they didn't deserve to be associated with him. It would only mean trouble.

Yet- he kinda wanted to spend so more time with this man.

What could possibly happen in a hospital? As much as he hated being there, this was kind of the best place for him to bound with anyone. Whatever happened, there would be people close by to help- and _ really, _what was the worst thing that could happen?

_ Well, he guessed he could die and leave this new (possible) friend with kind of a void in his heart, but that would seem slightly out of character for him. He was the one who survived, after all. _

_ It was everybody else who died. _

* * *

**Thank you for reading! I really appreciate it if you leave a comment, especially now in the early stages of the story. I tend to never know where I'm going with the stories I write and take it as I go; so I always welcome input.**

**Oh, and also; from what I've understood, Naruto (and Kushina)'s outbursts of "dattebayu" mean something along the lines of "you know" or "believe it". Please correct me if I'm using it incorrectly.**

**So, I kinda made a thing about Kakashi being short in this chapter. I know that he isn't- I just got an idea from this fanmade comic I read on Tumblr that seemed funny to me. I've been looking for it, trying to find who made it, but unfortunately, I couldn't find it. I'll explain it to you, and explain the continuance of it that's developed inside my mind. (Send me the link if you know it!)**

**Team 7 talks about how Kakashi is shorter than Gai- then, Kakashi interjects and stands beside him. He's clearly shorter, but then he straightens his back and it turns out that he's just as tall as him.**

**I have an idea of a follow-up strip, where the kids are still talking about this. Then, Kakashi appears to prove that he's tall and stands beside Iruka who he is clearly taller than. Then, someone smoothes down his hair, and it turns out that in reality, he's not much taller than Iruka.**

**I dunno. I just find the idea kinda cute.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't know why I had such a hard time with this chapter... I guess the more fluffy things are hard for me to write. It is kind of silly, but writing high-on-meds Kakashi was fun.**

**We will meet Gai in this chapter!**

**I promise more fluff, much more angst and maybe even a little bit of Icha Icha-esk stuff in later chapters!**

* * *

The next day, Iruka stayed behind after school to grade papers and prepare the curriculum for the upcoming week. Naruto had pleaded with him in his most devastating guilt-trip voice for permission to bring a few of his friends back to their house, so Iruka had wisely chosen to stay as far away from the hormonal circus as possible.

He had sorted his students' essays from _ 'pat yourself on the back Iruka, you're doing a good job!' _ to _ 'losing my will to live and should give up on teaching', _the latter being on top simply so he might keep himself from doing that. His kids really weren't stupid, there was just… a lot of undiscovered potential there.

Finishing up on the last essay, the red pen of shame already having been discarded of once he had recognized Sasuke's handwriting on the last piece of paper, he wrapped up the theses to finally head home for the day.

He had decided not to see Kakashi today. It would be awkward if he kept showing up now that he was awake _ (actually it had been kinda weird before he woke up too). _ Kakashi's friends and family must have been notified by now, so really, there was no use for him anymore.

With all work-related files packed up in his shoulder bag, he put his coat on and shut the lights off in the classroom, ready to head back out. That was when the view of a familiar, camo-green satchel got caught in his peripheral.

_ Kakashi's bag. _

Of course, he had forgotten to send it off with the ambulance. Well, obviously. How would it have looked if Iruka ran over to the paramedics who were trying to save the other teacher's life, telling them to wait so Kakashi could have his porn back before leaving to get life-saving surgery?

But now that he was awake… he might appreciate getting it back. Hospitals were boring enough when one was just visiting. Iruka had never really been committed for an overnight stay himself, so he could only imagine how tedious it had to be for Kakashi right now.

The bag was lighter than he had expected it to be. He hadn't _ planned _on peeking, but he wanted to make sure that the book was actually there so he wasn't bringing an empty backpack with him to the hospital (and make sure that none of his students sat wide-eyed in their bedroom with new reading material right now).

Somehow, he was not surprised at all when all he found in the bag was the book in question and the empty binder it had been hidden behind. No phone, no textbooks, no wallet, expired lunch, _ nothing. _

Strangely, the cargo reminded Iruka of the owner. Something to cover up the main contents and trying its best to seem empty and uninteresting, while something unexpected and exciting hid inside it _(_**_not_** **_porn… _**_Maa, that was only wishful thinking)_.

He packed the stuff back into the bag and made a call to Naruto, telling him that he'd be a little later than expected and allowing him to order take-out for dinner with a brisk warning.

"No dad, there won't be a repetition of last time," Naruto groaned. Iruka could nearly _ hear _ him roll his eyes.

"There better not be. I've never heard of a ramen place _ running out _ of ramen before _ . _ And I'm also not _ made _of-"

"Yeah, yeah, you're not made with golden spoons up your butt or whatever. I_ know!" _

Iruka chuckled but tried his best to muffle the sound with a hand covering the microphone on his phone.

"Are you going back to see Kakashi-sensei?" the teen suddenly asked. Iruka had truly hoped he wouldn't catch up on to that. Sure, maybe he wanted to see him again, just… just to make sure he was doing okay. It wasn't every day he witnessed someone being attacked by a fat cat and fall off the school building _ (surprisingly enough considering, _ well _ , Naruto)._

"...yeah. I am," he finally admitted. "I found his bag in the classroom, I thought he'd like it back. Is, uh… is that okay with you?"

"Maa, I don't care. I was just worried it was my essay that was keeping you again."

This time, Iruka didn't hide his laugh.

"Don't worry kiddo. You did all right. You're slowly making your way to the middle of the pile."

"Dattebayo!" Naruto cheered loudly, making Iruka point the phone away from his ear. "Thanks, dad! Now, I have to hang up. I have some important ramen-business."

* * *

Kakashi didn't look any better than he had the day before. Beat to shit, was the only term Iruka could think of to sufficiently cover it.

"...Ruka-san!" Kakashi chirped happily in recognition as Iruka entered the room after a few soft knocks on the door. The battered man's only seeing eye appeared more droopy than Iruka had noticed before and his pallor was as white as the sheet he laid on. The machines and wires surrounding him hadn't gotten any fewer since the day prior.

It wasn't the welcome Iruka had anticipated, but he wouldn't complain about the strange change in his demeanor. But what really piqued Iruka's interest, was the fact that Kakashi was not alone in his room this time.

Iruka knew he should be pleased that he actually did have people that cared for him, even if what had been written in his hospital journal did not make it look that way.

A strange-looking man with a sharp bowl cut _ (Iruka had not seen one as severe and absolutely intentional-looking since he attended middle school himself), _stared curiously at him with two bead-like eyes under thick, bushy eyebrows. The chair Iruka had sat on the day before was now scooted all the way up next to the bed, inhabited by the green-clad stranger.

"Please, 'Ruka. Tell turtle-man to leave. I don't want to have a friendly and youthful competition of rock-paper-scissor," Kakashi whined pleadingly, slurry and frazzled, reaching an arm tangled in bandages and IV-lines towards him.

Iruka froze at the door, looking between the stretched hand and the intense glare of this supposed _ turtle-man. _

"Ha-ha," the bucket-head roared ceremoniously. "You must excuse my rival. He seems to have gotten some truly unhip medicines that make his mind act curiously!"

"I also might have a slight concussion," Kakashi drawled kindly.

"Yes, and not for the first time, so no more falling off roofs, right Kakashi? Doctor's orders," Gai offered softly. The green-clad man got up from his seat by the bed and walked with long strides towards Iruka. He was tall, Iruka noted and seemed to be in flawless shape, which the green leotard he was wearing did nothing to conceal.

"My name is Maito Gai!" he declared. His hand rose, and Iruka was ready to meet him in a handshake. But instead, the man pointed energetically to himself with a steady thumb and gave him a wide tooth-rotting smile with perfect, blindingly white teeth.

Something inside Iruka clicked, and he realized that he had seen this man before. Or, more accurately, _ his son. _

"Y-you're Lee's father, right? I'm Umino Iruka, I teach his grade at Konoha Middle Scho-"

"Of course I know who you are! How could I not recognize the teacher of the extraordinary fruit of my own magnificent loins?!"

It finally made sense to Iruka how Lee had turned out the way he had. The kid had a huge heart and was exceptionally bright, there was no doubt about that. But for the first few months, since he took over their class, Irka had been sure the child was some kind of omen. Iruka stood petrified for a moment, when he heard Kakashi whisper none-too-quietly, "You create a diversion, and I'll go for the kill... I made a shiv."

Iruka backed up several steps, considering making a run for it when Kakashi, all of a sudden sounding strangely emotional, uttered, "Did you bring my bag?"

Iruka blinked for several seconds, before remembering the green satchel hanging from his shoulder. "Y-yes. You left it in the classroom and it had your book in it. I thought you'd like it back. Your … romance novel is in here too-"

"You brought my porn?" Kakashi gasped as his hands seized desperately in the air towards the bag until Iruka handed it to him. Weak arms reached into the bag and pulled out the horrid orange novel before letting the bag flap down at the side of the bed.

"You must excuse my rival," Gai said stiffly, turning back to face Iruka. "His day has been quite unyouthful."

"I flatlined," Kakashi added helpfully, gaining a troubled stare from the young teacher. "Dead," Kakashi confirmed and nodded vigorously, making a cutting-notion across his throat while blowing raspberries at the two men.

"For about thirty seconds," Gai shot in, doing his best to disarm the situation slightly. "But yes, he did. They're not sure what caused it, but for now, whatever prompted it seems to be under control."

Gai was taking on more of a subdued tone now, and Iruka figured it was so Kakashi wouldn't hear whatever he was about to say. Why it was so, he couldn't be sure, but he appreciated the change in his demeanor.

And volume, none the less.

"So now, his beautiful body is feeling quite distressed and he has to rest and _ stop trying to escape the hospital all the time," _Gai over-pronounced pointedly towards Kakashi.

"I would _ never-" _ Kakashi objected, feining mortified by such accusations. Gai looked on unimpressed, raising a furry eyebrow before turning his attention back to Iruka.

"So, Iruka-sensei, how do you two know each other?" he asked slyly. Something in the sharp gaze that was shot his way, made Iruka slightly uncomfortable. As if this intense man was _ implying _ something _ (which Iruka truly was not opposed to- but they had just met and he was not that kind of guy!). _

"Uh, we just met, actually," Iruka muttered awkwardly. He was ready to elaborate further when Kakashi interrupted, whispering loudly again.

"Psst- _ Gai! _He's the cute teacher I told you about!"

Roses immediately exploded in Iruka's cheeks. Wide eyes darted back towards the heavily drugged man on the bed. Kakashi had his hand up to cover his mouth from Iruka's view and peered half-lidded towards him.

"I assumed so," Gai chuckled back fondly, receiving a sharp hush from Kakashi.

"Gai- he can _ hear you!" _ Kakashi looked horrified _ (and agonizingly adorable) _ as he sneered back panicky, of which Gai rolled his eyes.

"Well then, I think I will leave him into your capable, exuberant hands, sensei," Gai blinked obviously, giving Iruka the thumbs up.

"Oh- I, uh… I wasn't actually going to-"

"I will go home to eat an energizing, youth-reviving dinner! I think I might run-" Gai's voice boomed down the corridor while clearly ignoring the perplexed teacher left behind with his delirious crush.

Iruka turned around awkwardly. Kakashi was lying deep into his pillow, tilting his head slightly and staring at the doorway his friend had just disappeared into.

"Where did Gai go?" he asked finally, strangely soft, almost longingly.

"He had to go home," Iruka smiled stiffly.

"Oh," Kakashi drawled. "That's too bad. I had just thought of a new competition for us."

"Competiton?" Iruka slid onto the chair Gai had previously resided on.

"Hm? Oh… Yes. I am his eternal rival you know."

"Really? And he's not yours?"

"Nah, he's my friend." Kakashi smiled pleasantly. Iruka was fascinated by how expressive his face was, even if half of it was hidden behind the damn mask.

"What was it?" Kakashi snapped his attention to the other teacher, curved eyebrows watching him in confusion.

"Was what what… was.. what was waa? My tongue feels funny." Iruka guessed Kakashi was currently chewing on his own tongue and chuckled lightly _ (how was he even more adorable drugged out of his mind?) _ .

"Don't worry about it. Uh, did you want some company for a while, or are you tired? I mean, I could stay for a little bit if… if you want?" Again, the sheepish, squinted smile beamed up at him, and he felt his stomach tingle.

"Oh! Yes, the hospital is so boring. Maybe you can read for me?" Kakashi was holding his novel hopefully but was it one thing Iruka had grown immune to through his years as a teacher and foster parent, it was those puppy eyes.

Gently but sternly he declined Kakashi's suggestion- he was also fairly sure that the usually ward-offed man would be mortified when the heavy dosage of painkillers wore off and he realized that he had made Iruka read a soft-porn romance novel out loud for him. Instead, they settled into conversation, easy, light-hearted topics, and a little bit about Kakashi's future, and Iruka's current, students.

Soon enough, Kakashi succumbed to sleepiness and Iruka fell deep in thought just watching the man sleep. There was something about this man. Something so guarded, yet vulnerable. Something that made him want to slap him, while still melt into his arms and fall asleep _ (and had he said that he thought Iruka was cute?) _

...he didn't dare believe it.

When a nurse came in and kicked him out, twenty minutes after visiting hours were over, the butterflies in his stomach were back. Except they weren't butterflies. It felt more like flying lizards swarming inside him, dazed and confused and crashing and rearranging his organs.

Maybe he'd come back tomorrow.


	4. Chapter 4

So, this story is kind of a palet cleanser for me. It's going to have a relaxed update schedule, but I hope you'll still enjoy it and follow it through!

Oh, and also, my sister's cat has something to say: 

"SDXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

ftgggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg"

...so yeah. There's that.

* * *

Weeks went by, and every other day, Iruka would stop by the hospital and visit Kakashi. In the beginning, it had still felt a bit awkward, but as long as Kakashi didn't seem to mind or make any indication that he thought it was weird, this was one pleasure Iruka refused to deny himself. Becoming a foster father fresh out of the university, there were so many things in life he had missed out on, and now that Naruto was well into his teens, he decided it was time to allow himself to be a little self-indulgent.

The long-haired man made his way through the sterile halls carrying two bags of Chinese take-out. Hot vapor oozed from the containers from the bags, making his knuckles humid and sticky. His heart fluttered in his chest when he spotted the door to Kakashi's room. He could feel his anticipation rise and his heart always tended to leap a little out of control whenever he was about to see Kakashi again.

Kakashi had been in and out of the ICU for the first two weeks in varying states of awareness, but after three weeks he seemed to be doing well. At least he looked a lot better, plugged into fewer machines, and the bandages weren't as thickly layered anymore. Both his legs were still caged in the large external fixation devices, propped up on thick fluffy pillows. The sight of the swollen, discolored legs with screws drilled into bruised skin had made Iruka a bit nauseous at the start, but he was getting more used to the morbid sight.

The two teachers had fallen into a habit these last few weeks. Iruka would come by and bring food a few times a week, which Kakashi was always appreciative of. According to Kakashi, hospital food did more damage than it did good, and he wouldn't even feed it to that fat cat that had been on the roof the day he got hurt. Iruka would eat his meal, while Kakashi waited patiently, only eating a small piece when Iruka was distracted, to Iruka's growing frustration.

He had yet to see him without that cursed mask, and the moment to ask about it never seemed right.

Their conversations mostly revolved around their occupations as teachers and everyday life, with Iruka doing most of the talking. Unsurprisingly, Kakashi was more of a listener. That was why Iruka was slightly startled when Kakashi asked him about Naruto, after a brief comment about how Iruka had recently celebrated his twenty-ninth birthday on one of his usual dinner visits.

"So, what's your relation to the kid, if you don't mind me asking?" Kakashi asked curiously, a disarming gaze sent in the other's direction. Iruka had noticed that Kakashi often shied away from making eye contact but in this rare moment, his attention was solely focused on Iruka.

Surprised, Iruka nearly choked on his meal and dropped his chopsticks on the floor. Kakashi took a moment to elaborate further while Iruka picked them back up and struggled to swallow a mouthful of rice.

"I just figured... If you're only twenty-nine, that would have made you what... thirteen, fourteen when he was born?"

Finally able to swallow the sticky mass, Iruka cleared his throat before he spoke. "You're right, we're not actually related. He's my foster kid. I met him when he started primary school," Iruka explained, attentively assessing Kakashi's response. He was propped up by several pillows on the bed, still not strong enough to keep himself up. A single charcoal eye stared half-lidded at him, expressing that he was done being a conversationalist and had gone back to listening.

"I was fresh out of uni, they were the first class I ever taught," Iruka continued. A crooked smile tugged at his thin lips. "Naruto was kind of a troublemaker. He would frustrate the other teachers out of their minds. At some point, there was actually a draw at the teacher's lounge. Whoever pulled the shortest straw, would have to teach the class."

Kakashi quirked an eyebrow. "And that was you, huh?"

Iruka opened his mouth to speak but stopped himself with a perplexed expression. "Well, actually... I'm not sure_ . _ I was new, and the moment I made my pick, everyone just collectively decided mine had to be the shortest one. I only had the second pick." Iruka rubbed his neck sheepishly.

A quiet hum drew out for a moment. Only as it started to waver, Iruka finally recognized it as Kakashi's laugh, the hospital-gown-covered chest pulsating rhythmically.

"Is my misery amusing you?" Iruka asked cheekily, placing a light slap at Kakashi's blanket-covered side.

"Yes, actually. I can't imagine anyone else being bullied into losing a bet, and ending up with a foster son because of it," Kakashi chuckled good-natured.

Iruka flushed deep red, sinking into his chair. "That's not-" he started to argue, but something in Kakashi's demeanor made him pause. He realized that he was actually joking with him, and he couldn't remember the blazè man doing that before. At least not if he discredited the times Kakashi had been too high on painkillers and muscle relaxers to know what he was doing and saying. So he softened a bit and smiled shyly.

"I guess," he muttered bashfully instead. "But that didn't happen for another year, and was _not _on a bet!" Iruka pointed a warning finger towards Kakashi to state his point. "We just kinda bonded. I spent so many hours after school alone with him in detention, and eventually, he opened up about what was going on, and how he was feeling. I mean, I knew that his parents were dead and that he was being moved between foster homes every few months, but during that time, I _really _got to know him. The school had meetings with the CPS and the ever-changing foster parents now and then, and the number of times I heard them refer to him as _problematic _, or _challenging _... it just infuriated me so much. It was like they were immune to the fact that the kid was suffering, or had forgotten that this was a child that was faced with debilitating rejection and disappointment every time he was moved... So, I applied to take him in, and fortunately, it was granted. And that's... pretty much the story. He's lived with me for almost nine years now."

The short silence that followed felt like hours to Iruka. He really wanted to know how Kakashi would respond. Maybe it had been too much too soon? At least he hadn't started rambling about how he related to the child and how their situations were similar to some extent-

"You're a really good person."

Iruka did a double-take. The blush blossomed on his cheeks once again, spreading across his nose and making the tips of his ears warm. A glowing fluttering coiled in his stomach. A sensation he didn't remember the last time he had but was in no way unwelcomed. "Thank you," he croaked earnestly. The butterflies grew to the size of flying lizards, making him want to giggle into his hands the way Sakura would whenever Sasuke asked to borrow a pencil from her.

Then, he noticed that Kakashi wasn't looking at him anymore. Instead, he faced the window. The beams of the sun made his ivory skin illuminate beautifully. Even the angry scar that ran through his eye and down his cheek looked stunning in the afternoon sun. Yet, as celestial as he appeared, he looked wistful, and Iruka wondered what it was that made him so sad. Not just now- it seemed to be almost all the time, even when he smiled. He wanted to ask, but something inside him told him that he wouldn't get a truthful answer anyway. However, his own honesty had to account for something, right? Iruka figured that asking about the nearly constant melancholy was a bit much this early into their friendship, but there were still tons of questions he wanted to ask him- but where to even start?

"Kakashi, how did you lose your eye?" (_ Well, he guessed that was as bad a start as any). _Iruka was unsure what he expected after that. Kakashi might get angry and refuse to talk to him anymore or ignore the question altogether. After a few moments, Kakashi turned back around to face him. Again, their eyes locked, if only for a brief second.

"Oh, yeah, I guess I didn't tell you about that, did I? It just didn't seem appropriate in front of the kids." The silver-haired drew out an elongated sigh, scratching at his unruly mane. "Some guys attacked me years ago. One of them had a knife and lashed out, splicing my face open." The last part was said with a low chuckle, but Iruka didn't miss the dark clouds in his remaining eye. It clearly hurt him to even mention, and he wondered what more it was to the story. But it didn't feel right to pry right now.

"My scar is from a knife too," he offered instead. Kakashi's head shot up, interest clearly peeked. "All through," Iruka drawled, subconsciously rubbing the bridge of his nose, "mine was less of an assault as it was a stupid five-year-old that didn't take his parent's warnings about running with sharp objects seriously."

A pang of guilt for the comparison threatened to settle in Iruka's stomach, but he was quickly distracted by the thrilling sound of a genuine laugh.

"You really are a sadist, aren't you? Taking so much pleasure in the misfortune of others," Iruka growled half-heartedly as the chuckles carried out, but couldn't help but smile all the same.

"I'm sorry," Kakashi managed between hicks. "I'm sure it was a really dramatic experience, but it just sounds really sweet." His hand was clutching at his side, trying to stifle the pain that shot through his back with each contraction of his muscles. Iruka wanted to tell him to take it easy, but the wave of relief and the pure happiness he felt from the other teacher's reaction made him want to hold onto it as long as possible. With the amount of pain Kakashi felt every day already, he knew he probably needed this, even if it aggravated that pain for a few moments.

So, Iruka decided it was better to agree. "I was pretty sweet back then."

As Kakashi calmed down, winching a little as his breathing evened out, his head seemed to dig deeper into the stack of pillows. He looked tired, but his expressive eye still smiled. "You're still a very sweet man, Iruka," he said pointedly. "Not many people would hang around in a hospital to keep a grump like me company. Especially when they hardly even know me." As an afterthought, he diffidently added, "well, maybe it would have made even less sense if you really did know me, actually."

Still a little dazed from being called sweet, Iruka forcefully shook himself out of his stupor. "What? N-no. I enjoy spending time with you."

"So, you're not doing it out of guilt or something stupid like that? 'cause it's fine, I won't make you-"

"Stop that," Iruka interrupted sternly, self-consciously recognizing his stern teacher-voice. "That's not it at all. Or, it might have been, in the beginning, but I wouldn't still be here after several weeks if I didn't like spending time with you. At least not after the meeting we had with your school after the accident. We were bombarded with questions about your well-being from the other teachers. They were worried sick about you."

Kakashi seemed to go a little rigid after the last comment. Even with half of his face veiled with a surgical mask, Iruka recognized that he was frowning.

"You have a lot of people that love you very much," Iruka insisted, daring himself to lean a bit closer, resting a hand at Kakashi's cold underarm. He felt the silver-haired twitch under his touch, instinctively wanting to pull away from his warm hands, but Iruka was determined not to let go. Something told him that this was good for Kakashi, even if he also understood that the other man was very touch-averse.

"I know," Kakashi murmured in a whisper, his eye not averting from the tan covering his own creamy skin.

"And especially the one I met here a few weeks ago. Gai. He was the first to approach me after the meeting," Iruka added in a peculiar tone.

"Did he cry?" Kakashi asked knowingly, smirking despite himself.

"A lot," Iruka dead-panned. "I'm not sure if love is a sufficient word with that one."

"We've known each other for a long time, and he's my best friend. He's always worn his heart on his sleeve like that. I guess it's nice to always know what someone is thinking."

Iruka smiled knowingly, understanding what Kakashi was _actually _saying; '_I'm sorry that I'm not as open as other people. Just give me some time. '_

Because Iruka _knew_. He had already been through this with several of his students. Children that tried their best, but didn't understand just what they had to tell the world for them to understand where they were coming from, or, what they wanted to tell it in the first place.

Some kids needed patience, others needed kindness. Some of them needed their actions and words to be read between the lines to get to a point where they could enfold entirely. Kakashi was all over the place; needing a little bit (or a lot) of everything. He was shy, reluctant, stubborn, and scared. But in the end, he probably just wanted the same that everybody else did, even if he hadn't figured out just how to ask for it.

He needed to be seen and heard. Loved for who he was; an assurance that he didn't need to be more than he could handle. And from what Iruka could see, he already had that all around him. But nobody had broken that thick skin yet.

The disbelieving and rejected person that truly didn't believe that anybody could care for him.

...Iruka didn't know if he was the man to do that yet, but he sure as hell wanted to give it a try.


End file.
